Jolly Pumpkin to take over Bastone Brewery, Vinotecca space in Royal Oak

Bastone Brewery at the corner of Main and Fifth streets in downtown Royal Oak, shares space with Vinotecca Wine Bar to the north on Main Street and Monk Beer Abbey to the east on Fifth Street.

Bastone Brewery and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales are joining forces to bring a "craft beer destination" to the corner of Main and Fifth streets in downtown Royal Oak this summer.

Jolly Pumpkin Royal Oak will take over the space currently occupied by Bastone and Vinotecca Wine Bar next door at 419 S. Main Street.

After renovations, it will feature a central round bar and open floor plan with seating for 210 inside and 40 more on a seasonal patio. The space will feature earth tones, wood and copper metal accents and Jolly Pumpkin label art.

Bastone will move into the Monk Beer Abbey space on the complex's West Fifth Street side and refocus its menu to specialize in Belgian food and brews. It will have offer seating for 60 indoors and an additional 36 on a patio.

"Bastone Brewery is one of the most decorated craft breweries in Michigan, having received over 200 awards for our Belgian beers," said David Ritchie, managing partner. "This renovation and partnership with Jolly Pumpkin will allow us to 'return to our roots' and focus more on Belgian-style dining and brewing while still catering to the varying tastes of Royal Oak diners."

General Manager John Sleamon, Chef Robert Young and Master Brewer Rockne Van Meter will stay on to lead Bastone's new and refocused culinary experience.

Future plans include bottling and distribution of Bastone's beer.

Bastone and Vinotecca are expected to close mid-May; however, Monk Beer Abbey and Craft Royal Oak, the nightclub in the basement of the building, will remain open throughout the renovation.

The Jolly Pumpkin Royal Oak menu will include items from the brewery's other locations, including pizzas from Detroit, sandwiches from Traverse City and truffle fries from Ann Arbor, as well as new items to be exclusively available in Royal Oak. The new location will include a full bar featuring Jolly Pumpkin, Bastone, North Peak Brewing Co. and other rotating Michigan craft beers as well as wine and spirits.

"Our goal with the new Jolly Pumpkin is to create an all-encompassing dining and drinking experience for our patrons," Tony Grant, COO and CFO of Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, said in a news release. "Customers who enjoyed wine at Vinotecca can still enjoy a great selection here, and Belgian beer fans will continue to enjoy both Bastone and import beers in their space — and of course, sour beer fans will quench their thirst on Jolly Pumpkin's renowned barrel-aged ales."

Jolly Pumpkin had plans to open a Royal Oak restaurant in 2013, but due to building permit issues was unable to close on a deal for the former Citizens Bank property on Main Street. It then opened Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria and Brewery in Detroit's Midtown in 2015.

"We never gave up on having a Royal Oak location. We've wanted to be here for years, but it had to be the right space," Grant said in the release. "This is the right space, time and partnership to make our beer and food available while helping support another great Michigan brewery."

Jolly Pumpkin will join another popular beer bar, HopCat, in downtown Royal Oak. Grand Rapids-based BarFly Ventures LLC, the parent company of HopCat, said in September that it planned to renovate and move into the 11,700-square-foot space at 208 W. Fifth St., home of Woody's and Onyx across from O'Tooles in a busy entertainment block of the Oakland County city.